It’s much better now. If you factor inflation, you can have a plane ready to fly with transmitter included WAY cheaper than what it used to cost for a small free flight plane.
Not many people want to build anymore. Most fly foam planes now with quiet electric motors, or maybe put together an ARF.
I’m weird in that I like to build. The laser cut kits really made that enjoyable, along with advanced coverings.
I helped build a rubber band powered Sopwith covered in tissue paper and dope with a mentor once. When he became terminal, he gifted me his entire collection. Unfortunately, time wasn’t kind to those models.
But they sure were beautiful.